Feb 2016 imageSouce Digital Edition

Network Visibility
“Cyber-attacks cost businesses
$400 billion a year globally.”
When Grown Men Cry
Cyber-attacks and how
to prevent them
By Eric Stavola | U.S. Director | Pre-Sales Engineers, mindSHIFT
I answered a call to hear a man panicking with, “Eric, my business
data - it’s all lost! “ Surprised, I realized it was a business client
who had just fell victim to a cyber-attack.
First, you need
to know that:
Key Facts on Cyber
Attacks:
• Up to 75 percent of breaches go
undiscovered for weeks or months.
• Just 21 percent of IT pros are
confident that their information
security technologies can
mitigate risk.
As for my client who’d called, we were
able to recover his data because he had
forgotten that just six months earlier, I was
able to talk him into implementing a backup
plan, which saved his business, literally.
What prevents attacks?
Business owners and key executives
have a responsibility, when it comes to
technology, to keep their business safe,
their systems reliable, and their key data
secure. In effort to achieve this below are
five key steps:
Cyber-attacks cost businesses
$400 billion a year globally.
(Lloyd’s of London, 2015)
40 percent of businesses that
experience a critical IT failure go
out of business within one year.
What is a Cyber-attack?
A Cyber-attack by definition is an attempt
by hackers to damage or destroy a computer
network or system. Cyber-attacks can be
broken up into four key areas:
Viruses: Can infect computers through
email attachments and file sharing. They
delete files, attack other computers, and
make your computer run slowly. One
infected computer can cause problems for
all computers on a network.
Ransomware: A type of malicious
software designed to block access to a
computer system until a sum of money is
paid although ransomware is usually aimed
at individuals, it’s only a matter of time
before business is targeted as well.
Spyware: Is software that “piggybacks”
on programs you download, gathers
information about your online habits, and
transmits personal information without
your knowledge. It may also cause a wide
range of other computer malfunctions.
Identity Thieves: People who obtain
unauthorized access to your personal
information, such as Social Security and
financial account numbers. They use this
information to commit fraud or theft.
Who is behind attacks?
• Cyber criminals interested in making
money through fraud or from the sale
of valuable information.
• Hackers who find interfering with
computer systems a challenge.
• Staff or those who have legitimate
access for accidental or deliberate
misuse. 59% of employees steal
proprietary corporate data when they
quit or are fired.
Have a Plan - Have a clear technology
plan to support the company’s
oganizational strategy. Meet every 90 days
to review the plan & adjust accordingly
based on business growth or challenges.
Set Policy - Institute a good security
policy, including documentation of data
handling procedures that are specific to
your company or organization.
Develop your People - Put professional
development in place both for the IT staff
and the regular staff around advancements
in technology.
Have a Budget - Provide for a sufficient
budget to acquire and support the
non-discounted elements of the plan:
the hardware, software, professional
development needed to implement the
strategy.
Partner Up – Find a trusted advisor
through a managed service provider.
Eric Stavola, MS.CIS, M.Ed, MCSE, MCSA, N+, CDIA+
is the U.S. Director of Pre-Sales Engineers mindSHIFT,
a Ricoh Company. Contact him at eric.stavola@
mindshift.com.
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imageSource February 2016